The Maple Leaf Kingdom
Page 9's

Before long, Mr. Rudolf arrived.

"Miss Luciana Lighter, Miss Tiara Granindra, Mr. Reyhan Linggasatya, and Mr. Deva Kasafanya," said Mr. Rudolf as if he was passing one-on-one, "let me take a delivery."

The old man led the way towards the private room of the special library.

"Why so gloomy?" rey's voice looked at the passageway so dark.

"Here has been unused for a very long time" said Mr. Rudolf, then pulled out a key similar to mine, and then opened the door in front of us.

"Uwahhh.." amazes the four of us.

The hallway connecting the main and special libraries was so gloomy, dark, like unkempt. But who would have thought this private room was so clean and awake.

"Miss Luciana Lighter may come here at any time and with whomever she wishes, but all books here may only be used in private rooms, not taken out," mr. Rudolf said and I nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry, then."

"Thank you, Mr. Rudolf," I cried.

Mr. Rudolf waltzed away after replying with a nod.

"Wash, look!" point Tiara to one side of the bookshelf. "The books here contain things related to plants and the field of medicine."

"If you like it and want to read it, I'll bring you here often" I said.

"Woww. I don't know why I'm interested in this shelf over here" Rey exclaimed on the other side of the shelf with a book on knights and warfare.

"Then I will take you too" I said again.

"Really, Princess?"

I'm nodding.

"What about me?" dev asked pointing at his own face.

"Who are you interested in which book?" my many.

Dev walks around the private room there are four sides of the bookshelf, two of which are in line with Tiara and Rey's talents and likes.

His eyes were fixed on a shelf containing books on government strategy and leadership, "May this one?"

"Please" I said casually.

Both Tiara, Rey, and Dev, the three of them stared at me.

"What about you?" ask them simultaneously.

"Me?" I pointed at my own face, the three nodded.

"From the beginning I was interested in the side of the shelf here" I said pointing to the remaining side of the shelf.

I was actually interested in that one gold-coated book that looked different than the other, I thought.

I was not in a supportive mood, so the intention to read the book I paused. When my three friends were busy with their respective shelf sides, I actually opened the online Aknusbang News that displayed my face promotion throughout the day.

Horrifically. How did they get these paparazzi photos? I asked in my heart to see my beautiful face exposed to all corners of the Nusa Bangsa Academy.

***

The night was quiet, but I did not get sleepy. He has rolled to the left and to the right, listening to music, reading books, novels and comics. Bored, even going to sleep is difficult...

I quietly put on my sandals, opened the door of the room, and still in my sleeping pajamas stepped out of the dorm.

The wuss...

The wind tonight is so cold, I regret coming out without a sweater or jacket. Then I turned my head, staring at the clear dark sky, there was only one bright shining star near the moon.

I walked down the hallway to the private room of the special library.

At night this hallway is gloomier than ever, I thought.

I kept walking until I got to the door of the private room. From behind my pajamas, my hand took the key that's been hanging around my neck all day.

Chequek! Ngikkk...

It was dark outside and it seemed like it was starting to rain.

Fortunately, this time I did not forget to bring my phone. I turned on the flashlight from the phone, looking for a switch to turn on the room lights.

When the lights are on.

"Luciana Lighter?"

I reflexively turned around, turning to the origin of the voice.

"Haiss... Just be surprised," I said while stroking my chest.

It turned out that the one who came was the principal and Mr. Rudolf.

Inside the private library.

Me, the principal, and Mr. Rudolf sat on the sofa facing each other.

Refisha's mother came to serve us tea, then hurried out of the room. I can only look at him strangely.

Why so rushed? Like so scared, my mind.

"Please" please, headmaster.

"Then, excuse me, sir," said Mr. Rudolf and was nodding at the headmaster. I can only look at the man's departure.

"I know something is wrong with the Nusa Bangsa Academy" I said, not even making the principal surprised.

"Then, what do you want to ask?" ask the principal.

"I wonder, what is your relationship with Mr. Rudolf?" my many. After I thought about it, I thought again, and again, it seems like their relationship is not as easy as it seems.

"Our relationship is like an employer and a confidant" the principal replied casually as he sipped tea from his cup.

"Employer? Confidant?" many confused.

"Yes.I'm the master and Rudolf is my confidant" he said.

"Okay, I can understand that. Then, you're so young, how can you be the principal at Aknusbang?"

"I'm not as young as I look." For the first time I saw this man in front of me smiling, and he looked so handsome. Well, even if his smile is just a little.

"Is this the reason you didn't use the call 'Sir' when talking to me?" tanyakanya.

"I-that's.a-I don't.." my stutter then cleared my throat, "I don't know either, I don't know, either, you are like twenty years old makes me uncomfortable if you use a call like that. Even so... I don't know why, I feel like my heart just wants to call your name if it can."

I held onto my chest which was now pounding, I was at a loss, my heart and mind were not compromising at all. It's like there's something weird about me every time I get close to the principal. It's not me, it's not, I'm not gonna be like this. What's wrong with me?

"Maybe I know why. But obviously my age is not twenty years, but one thousand twenty-two years," he answered to me.

"You must be kidding," I cried still with a ruckus.

"Hahahaha, unfortunately it's true" he said, laughing.

While outside, Mr. Rudolf was standing guard at the door hearing the laughter of his master to make himself wonder instead of playing. The reason, his master had never smiled let alone laughed since a thousand years ago.

We're still laughing. A few moments later it was silent, each of them neutralizing themselves.

"really?" I asked still with the previous topic, but more relaxed while sipping tea to wet my dry throat after laughing.

"Of course."

"You're not playing me, are you?"

"No" he answered final.

Pufft... I spouted tea on his face after hearing that definitive answer.

"Sorry!" I panicked to see that this man's face was wet because of me.

"It's okay." The man took out a handkerchief from his suit pocket and wiped his wet face.

"But... Do you think I'll believe it?" i said again.

"Believe it or not, it won't change reality."

I can only be pensive because there are so many unanswered questions, this awkwardness is unbelievable.

"I still don't understand. How could? Also I still have questions, why did Mr. Rufolf report about me to you this morning, save my contacts, and keep an eye on my daily life. What's the matter, actually? I tried to think as hard as I could but still did not understand" I said at length.

"If you want to find out, you have to prepare yourself first" said the principal.

"I'm ready" I replied steadily.

"You sure?" tanyanya.

"There's a saying that 'curiosity will kill you' and that proves to be true, I'm experiencing it right now. So, if you don't tell him right away, then I'll probably die of curiosity" I said.

"All right, all right, I'll tell you. Because the story is so long and you have to promise me one thing before that" he said.

"Promise?" I asked to link the two confused eyebrows.

"Yes, there's one condition you have to do. Do you mind? I wouldn't have entered you if I didn't want to."

I hurriedly shook my head despite being a little hesitant with my choice now. "What's the condition?"

"You have to help me remove this time-stopping curse" he said with a serious face, perhaps so that I would not be stunned again after hearing his words.

"alright. How's it?" my many.

May my choice of agreeing to it not be a mistake, my mind.

The man got up from his seat, then picked up a book from one side of the shelf. "You need to get into the history of this book. I'll give you one day to consider."

That gold-coated book? my question is in my heart.

"In addition, there's something I want to give you," he said, pulling a box out of his pocket, then thrusting it at me, "I want Rudolf to give it to you, but after I think about it, I'll tell him, it would be better if I gave it to him directly."

To be continue...

"Give me your vote, like, and love" Luciana Lighter said with a flick of her signature eye.

See you soon.